In April, in the fifth round of the NFL draft, the Miami Dolphins selected Caleb Sturgis, a kicker from Florida. He signed with the team for an annual salary of $406,000.

To the larger world, this was a routine and uneventful transaction. But in interviews with current and former NFL players, player agents and team executives familiar with the inner workings of the Dolphins, the news hit team members like a bomb.

The Dolphins already had a kicker, a five-year starter named Dan Carpenter who was well-liked by everyone and good at his job. To NFL insiders, the subtext was clear: Carpenter's $2.7 million salary was getting expensive for a kicker, and NFL teams don't take kickers in the draft unless they plan to use them.

The writing was on the wall. Carpenter was on his way out.

To Miami's team leaders, who'd grown weary of management's tendency to cast off popular veterans, the decision was a gut punch. They didn't plan to accept the move without making their displeasure known.

Seven months later, the Dolphins are a shambles. After spending a staggering $146 million on free agents in the off-season—at least $10 million more than any other NFL team—they have lost starting guard Richie Incognito, who was suspended by the team for disciplinary reasons, and starting tackle Jonathan Martin, who left the team over what he has described as a culture of harassment and bullying.

After being a trendy preseason pick to win the AFC East, the Dolphins are 4-5 and a long shot to make the playoffs. The team is the subject of an NFL investigation, and its locker-room environment is being held up as an example of the dysfunctional culture of the NFL.

Whatever the investigation reveals, people familiar with the Dolphins said these problems reflect a broader mistake of management: a temptation to undersell the importance of leadership.

"When you look at the Miami Dolphins and you look at how they jettisoned their veterans, it was all a recipe for disaster and it's no surprise they are embroiled in this controversy with Richie at the center," said Louis Riddick, the former personnel director for the Philadelphia Eagles. "You think veterans are replaceable but then players emerge as leaders that shouldn't because they say 'I might as well do it' and it's not the kind of people you want young players turning to."

Riddick put the blame squarely on Jeff Ireland, the Dolphins' general manager. "Mistakes of character are on the personnel staff exclusively," he said.

But Carpenter was the highest paid kicker in the NFL going into this season. If that's not true, he was top 5 when it came to salary..... which would be money well spent for a guy like Vinatieri who kicked his team through a first super bowl win that one year and got paid accordingly, but we are talking about a relatively "good" kicker that missed multiple "clutch" kicks the prior year in multiple games. Fans who do carry enough weight have blamed Carpenter for at least 2 games, two games that could have put Miami into the playoffs. Now is that a reality, NO, but perception is that Carpenter was responsible for the Jets loss, and the Cardinals loss

Perspective is perspective. Carpenter was not "worth" his high salary, and behind closed doors more than likely refused a pay cut. Hence the management moved in a different direction. You can not blame the management for doing the "logical thing" here.

In hind sight. Would you think Carpenter would have taken $2 million a year this year to be our kicker.... at 26% pay cut, rather than jump across 4 different teams before latching on with Buffalo for substantially less than that. I would say, yea, probably, he would. But he probably thought that he would hard ball Ireland, refuse a pay cut, and well that part of the story never hit the media. Making Ireland look like the cold calculated killer that cut him because he was too expensive. I am positive there was a "negotiation" held some time in march about this circumstance. And the management decided to move on.

Teams don't just draft a kicker, especially in the 5th round unless they were gonna use them. Especially since you can sign them undrafted relatively easily. Something must have happened to convince Ireland and company to draft Sturgis or else we would have had another incompetent Offensive Lineman on the roster instead of Caleb.

Thu Nov 14, 2013 11:25 am

PADOLFAN

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Re: How the Miami Dolphins Fell Apart

That's assuming coaching is not a leadership position. Writers only half right when you look at the Fins because the "team" also includes the coaches and the head coach is hardly a leader.

Thu Nov 14, 2013 11:32 am

NFLJunkie

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Joined: Wed Jan 13, 2010 10:47 amPosts: 6254

Re: How the Miami Dolphins Fell Apart

Then they should've asked him to take a pay cut. Carp isn't the only veteran that wasn't signed. The entire leadership team elected by the team to represent their issues to Philbin are all gone. They just didn't trim it...they gutted it. If anything, that sent a loud message to the locker room that we don't want to hear from you. Again, this team isn't falling apart due to lack of talent. It is falling apart due to lack of leadership.

High priced vets get cut every season by every team. It's the business.

Thu Nov 14, 2013 2:13 pm

Rock Sexton

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Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2010 12:48 pmPosts: 6186

Re: How the Miami Dolphins Fell Apart

Well guys, honestly I can't take anymore. I've been pretty even keel, not getting too high or too low .... didn't even have great expectations for the 2013 season. But this whole Martin thing has me completely detached right now.

It's embarrassing as a fan to watch this kind of thing play out in the media, something which in my opinion is a complete non-story ..... something that should've been handled in-house without needing media members to make spectacles of themselves and grandstanding.

All it took was one guy with relatively thin skin compared to his teammates and another guy who's a filter-less meathead ...... coming on the heels of vortex created by this organization PURGING all of its respected leaders in the guise of fancy cap management and a free-agency splash.

- I hated the Wallace signing. The guy is a one-trick pony who wouldn't fight for the ball if it was on fire and his mother was tied to it and now we're stock with his monster contract.- I hated the chronyism that has gone on with Sherman and Zac Taylor. The game has passed Sherman by and Taylor never had a resume to assume the role of grooming a QB.- I loved giving Philbin a chance but it's pretty clear he's out of his element. I still remember the darn highlights from Hard Knocks of him going on shoe-lace patrol like a shmuck with a serious OCD problem. He never looks players in the face when he talks to them and for the love of God the man needs to read from notes in the locker room after games.- I've hated how we continue to bring on regimes who won't adjust to the talent they have. - I've hated practically everything Ireland has done in the draft the past couple years. - I've hated watching them be hypocrites when it comes to former players who were cast away because of supposed behavioral issues.

I could go on .... but it's just not worth it right now. Don't think I'll be paying much attention for the rest of the season. I have zero faith in the pieces in place. It's just funny when you look to your football team for inspiration when perhaps other things in your life just aren't quite right ..... and what do you get? This petty, grade school he said she said bullying situation plastered all over the media making complete clowns out of this organization. I don't need the aggravation.

It's been a long, embarrassing road since that playoff game in Jacksonville when the team showed no heart and let the greatest thing that ever happened to the franchise flame out in a 62-7 defeat.

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Thu Nov 14, 2013 2:33 pm

Rich

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Re: How the Miami Dolphins Fell Apart

Um, this team has been in shambles since the late 90s. This is not a new reality to our existence...

And I agree with PADOLFAN, leadership starts with the coaches. The same ones who wanted to gut the leadership council from last year because they did what real leaders do. Voice their opinions and buck the system.

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Thu Nov 14, 2013 2:41 pm

jammer

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Joined: Tue Jan 12, 2010 5:10 pmPosts: 7005Location: Topsfield, MA

Re: How the Miami Dolphins Fell Apart

I've seen some pretty low morale on this site before but man I've never witnessed the wind being taken out of the sails like this.

Thu Nov 14, 2013 3:51 pm

Makchell

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Joined: Tue Jan 12, 2010 1:04 pmPosts: 7927

Re: How the Miami Dolphins Fell Apart

To be honest, if it wasn't so darn windy, I'd be fishing every Sunday and eff the Fins. The wind has been howling though.....I won't be watching them Sun either way. I'm getting my wetsuit on and I'm going paddle boarding, I'm done. Have fun watching this circus guys.

Thu Nov 14, 2013 9:04 pm

AQNOR

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Re: How the Miami Dolphins Fell Apart

Thanks I will be following the Phins every game I can.

Thu Nov 14, 2013 10:40 pm

NFLJunkie

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Re: How the Miami Dolphins Fell Apart

Makchell wrote:

To be honest, if it wasn't so darn windy, I'd be fishing every Sunday and eff the Fins. The wind has been howling though.....I won't be watching them Sun either way. I'm getting my wetsuit on and I'm going paddle boarding, I'm done. Have fun watching this circus guys.

Yeap, join the club. I've been productive on Sundays since 2 years ago. Call me a fair weather fan if you like but I've endured good and bad over 40 years. I previously owned DTV with Sunday Ticket from the first year it came out in like 1993. I've endured but am fatigued and just feel theres better things to do that I actually have some control over. If I come back and they've won, I can turn on the replay and enjoy the game. If they get blown out or lose, I'll take a few days before watching it. I still love the team and can't wait for a return to the glory days.

Thu Nov 14, 2013 11:16 pm

swerve13

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Re: How the Miami Dolphins Fell Apart

Makchell wrote:

High priced vets get cut every season by every team. It's the business.

New England cuts and trades vets all the time, you don't see them crying like babies. The NFL is all about managing the salary cap.

This^^

And I very clearly recall EVERYBODY wanted Carpenter gone. Every last fan. He was unclutch and cost a mint.

Everybody was happy with the Sturgis pick. We call this selective amnesia.

I'm still happy we took Sturgis.

Fri Nov 15, 2013 1:46 pm

Dphins4me

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Re: How the Miami Dolphins Fell Apart

dolphinjim wrote:

And I very clearly recall EVERYBODY wanted Carpenter gone. Every last fan. He was unclutch and cost a mint.

Everybody was happy with the Sturgis pick. We call this selective amnesia.

Do you need to revise your everybody to most everybody?

Sat Nov 16, 2013 12:06 am

TommyNoleFin

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Re: How the Miami Dolphins Fell Apart

There are some coaches who can motivate you to go through a brick wall. Philbin isn't one of them

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Sat Nov 16, 2013 8:13 am

Dphins4me

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Joined: Tue Jan 12, 2010 3:23 pmPosts: 5652

Re: How the Miami Dolphins Fell Apart

TommyNoleFin wrote:

There are some coaches who can motivate you to go through a brick wall. Philbin isn't one of them

or wet paper bag.

Sat Nov 16, 2013 8:33 am

Big Dave

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Joined: Tue Jan 12, 2010 9:41 amPosts: 10227Location: Raleigh, NC

Re: How the Miami Dolphins Fell Apart

swerve13 wrote:

I'm still happy we took Sturgis.

I am, too. It was a money decision, and Sturgis outplayed Carpenter in the preseason. Our linebackers were getting old, too, and were just about ready for another contract. I like the Ellerbe signing, but am questioning the Wheeler signing. Wheeler seems a step behind.

Who would have thought that Clabo would have been this bad? A lot was expected of Jonathan Martin as he was a high 2nd round pick with a whole year of experience. Neither delivered.